Process for the fast cooking of pasta

Abstract

In a process for the fast cooking of pasta and the like, a metered quantity of food is introduced from the top, into a containing chamber 8 embodied in a boiler 7, in said containing chamber 8 pasta being homogeneously distributed. Subsequently water at high pressure and temperature coming from the boiler is also introduced into the containing chamber. The expansion of water in the containing chamber takes place without forming over-heated vapor so that water can homogeneously impregnate and soften pasta within a period shorter than 40 seconds. Pasta is then conveyed into a pause chamber 9 where cooking goes on for a period shorter than 40 seconds. The last cooking operation takes place in the consuming vessel 76 where pasta is finally transferred, while the final consumer is putting dressing thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for the fast cooking of pasta, comprising the following steps: vertically introducing a predetermined amount of pasta into a containing chamber, said pasta being homogenously distributed in the whole section of the containing chamber;   filling the containing chamber with cooking water and saturated wet vapor under pressure, said water and vapor flowing at controlled speed through the whole section of the containing chamber and homogeneously impregnating pasta;   ejecting pasta, water and vapor from the containing chamber and conveying them into a pause chamber having a lower pressure than that created in the containing chamber during the preceding step;   separating excess vapor and cooking water from the pasta;   keeping the pasta in said pause chamber together with a predetermined amount of cooking water for a period of time sufficient for the pasta to partially reabsorb said predetermined amount of cooking water while simultaneously cooking said pasta therein; and   transferring pasta and residual cooking water into a vessel, where cooking of pasta is brought to an end by the complete absorption of residual water.   
     
     
       2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filling step is carried out by flowing water into said containing chamber, from the bottom thereof, at a temperature ranging between 130° C. and 150° C. and at a pressure of 5 to 8 atm. 
     
     
       3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filling step substantially takes place free of any heat exchange with the chamber walls and the surrounding atmosphere.